During a discussion with members of the Constituency Delineation Commission (CDC) held in the capital on Wednesday, experts aired differing views on the basis for delineation of electoral constituencies. [break]
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Surya Prasad Shrestha argued that the population should be taken as major basis for delineation of electoral constituencies. Echoing Shrestha´s argument, Professor Birendra Prasad Mishra, who is also a former election commissioner, said, “Geography will be represented automatically if there is representation of the population,” he argued. Mishra also claimed that EDC cannot address the concerns of the people as it is “toothless”.
However, Professor Mangal Siddhi Manandhar argued that both geography and population should be basis for delineation of electoral constituencies. “If population alone is made the basis for delineation of electoral constituencies, the area with low population may not be represented at all.”
Professor Ram Kumar Pandey said that the commission should prepare its report keeping in mind the aspirations of the people. “Representation of hilly districts must not be reduced on the basis of population,” he said.
Another former chief election commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel, who led the Election Commission (EC) during the 2008 CA election, said there should be adjustment between constitutional provision and people´s aspirations.
“CDC report should not be the cause for deferral of CA election,” Pokhrel said.
Muslim Scholar Najarul Hasan Falahi, who was also present at the discussion, told Republica that no community should be done injustice while delineating new electoral constituencies. “Interest of the communities should be prioritized while delineating electoral constituencies,” he added.
CDC has held discussion with the experts in order to elicit their opinion on delineation of electoral constituencies. Earlier, CEC has already held interactions with political parties on the issue.
Leaders of Nepali Congress (NC) and Madhes-based political parties have stressed that electoral constituencies should be determined in line with the total population of Tarai-Madhes while CPN-UML has maintained that district-wise population growth should be taken into consideration while increasing the number of electoral constituencies.
Similarly, UCPN (Maoist) has said that geography, population and culture should be prioritized while delineating electoral constituencies for the new CA polls.
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